L’ultima levata
In Camogli, in Liguria, few fishermen have joined together in a co-operative in order to keep the tonnara system, the only one of this kind existing in the Mediterranean sea, alive. The problems, in keeping alive a system of this kind, derive both from natural causes (the sea is less and less teeming with fish) and mainly from a lack of generational turnover.
So, the most specifically technical issues, such as the preparation of the nets, intertwine with the human issues, those of the people who are the makers of this tradition and who, while telling about their fishing method, feel encouraged to talk about themselves. In this way, most of the author characteristics of a classic documentary are left aside. Nothing about the technical functioning of the tonnara is left out, in order to clearly show how it works, but what’s in these men’s minds will be clear too. The feelings of the younger ones, in particular, while they wait for their job to get a certain future. The director wants to convey the very same bewilderment he felt while filming this ancient tradition: this is the reason for his presence on the scene, from time to time.
“This work about the tonnara of Camogli would be a document showing all what happens during the making of the tonnara. This has never happened, at least in such a complete way.
It may sound strange but there are no images of a tradition dating back to 1603.
You can find some shoot of a fishing day, or a little movie about the construction of the net, but a whole studio and consequently an exaustive work about this tradition was never produced yet.
This thing was so pushing that put me into this long and fascinating experience: I was given the chance of shooting a tradition, I have been following since 1984.” Daniele Camisa
documentary (52’ x 1) + ancillary web and mobile clips
director Daniele Camisa
production company CURVATURA10
producer Roberta Chimera
author/s Daniele Camisa / Marco Zaccaria
co-producer/s Daniele Camisa
Locations: Camogli, San Fruttuoso, Golfo Paradiso
